~*****~

Silence filled the arena as we stared each other down. 'I thought the rest of my clan had been wiped out... I didn't know anyone was left...' I bit my lip in frustration as he just stared, still glaring. "Kakashi-Sensei, I thought Ren told us she was the last of her clan." I hear Sakura ask rather loudly. I flinch and feel a flush crawl up my neck. Takashi chuckled, his lips quirking up into a sneer.

"Did you really think you were the only one left? Please. When that disgrace left the clan with that man, we holed ourselves up in the Hidden Cloud. You were never the last to begin with. Just what's left of the old main branch." He sneered, smirking again when water started to rise from the tile below us. "The Side Branch Family has kept our family's shame a secret for generations until you were born. Sealing that, 'Thing' away within you." He growled as I pulled out a kunai. "I came here to finish what the Village In the Mountains could not."

I flinched in surprise, cocking my head. I braced my arms upwards as he used the water bullet jutsu, sending me sailing into the wall. I hit with a harsh crack, a gasp slipping through my lips. 'This... This guy....  Side Branch?' I yelped out in pain as he raced forward, crushing his shin into my side. I looked up at him and kicked upwards, catching him in the chin as I put some distance between the two of us. "What are you talking about?! What have I done to deserve all this?!" I shout at him, dodging yet another barrage of water bullets.

"You are the offspring of the clan head, you are the one to inherit it all! And that includes the tailed beast we have kept sealed within the head of the family! You! A child born with only half of our blood!" He sneered, pulling out his Katana. "You are a bastard child, and for that, you must be dealt with."

I dodge his strike, gasping out in pain as I landed awkwardly on my ankle. "B-But, I... I didn't ask- I only-"

"Your fate was decided the moment your mother laid with that idiot." He raised his Katana above his head, a deadly glare settled into his very soul. "You're a disgrace to the name 'Yukimura'."

"Ren!" We both jump as Naruto's shout cuts through the air. Takashi looks over his shoulder at the blond knucklehead. "Don't listen to this asshole! You're way stronger than he is! Now show him what you got!" He slammed his fist against the metal railing. And soon, everyone joined in. Tears sprung to my eyes as I stared up at them.

"You got this, Ren! He's just a big jerk!" Ino shouted.

"Cha! Get him Ren!" Sakura screamed.

"Don't let him get to you! He's just mad you're better than he is!" I hear Shikamaru shout. I smile to myself and slowly stand on my own two feet, gritting my teeth when my ankle throbbed. I untied my headband from around my waist and stared down at it before tying it around my forehead.

Takashi snorted a little. "What idiots, and to think they actually have faith in a loser like you." He sneered, turning back to me.

"I may not be worthy to be head of the clan, but none of that matters to me. I don't really have a dream, or hobbies, or any special attributes to begin with. But when someone disses on my friends, thats when I get a little angry." I state, smiling when water starts rising from the tile behind me. His eyes widen as the water coats my skin and slinks up my arms and onto my face. "I don't care if you are my cousin, or brother, or whatever you are. I'll still crush you for mocking me and my friends."

He throws his katana to the side and water coats his finger tips as he gets into a fighting stance. "Then fight me with everything you've got." He demanded.

"With pleasure." I smiled, reaching down and removing the training weights around my ankles. They hit the ground with a thud. A small cracking sound echoed through the arena as Kakashi sighed in annoyance.

"Guy, dont you think that's a little... too much?" He hummed to his fellow Jonin. Everyone stared in confusion, but then yelped in shock when explosions erupted besides me. "You really are too much."

"Wh-Where'd she go?" Ino wondered aloud as the dust settled. Takashi looked around, his eyes wide.

"Over here!" My legs sails out, nailing him right in the forehead and sending him flying into the wall he had sent me into earlier. He coughed out in pain, blood seeping from the middle of his forehead. I clasped my hands together in the tiger sign. "Water Style: Liquid Bullets!" My cheeks expand and I shoot projectiles at him. He dodges a few before I peg him down with them. I clasp my hands together again with the clone seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" In clouds of smoke, ten clones of myself appeared. I thumped my fist against my chest and pointed at him. "Here's something I picked up just now! Ready, ladies?!" They all cheered and we raced forward. "Straight from the Leaf Village! Yu-Ki-Mu-Ra!" With each annunciation, we kick upwards, sending him sailing. I use my clones and jump high and flip forward, slamming my leg down into his chest, and crashing into the ground. "Takoyaki Explosion!" Blood spurts from his lips as he lay in a crater, his eyes glazed over.

Hayate steps over and gazes down into the crater, an eyebrow raised. He holds his hand up towards me. "I'm declaring this match over. Ren Yukimura advances to the finals." Cheers exploded from the stands as I wiped at my nose with a smirk. I knelt down to my cousin and grinned as he started coming to.

"Usually, I'd probably just leave without saying a word to my opponent, but I feel like this needs to be done." I smile, hauling him upwards. He wobbled and fell to a knee as the brunt of my attack echoed through his body. He coughed a bit as paramedics came to haul him away. He inhaled sharply as I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him.

"Wh-What are you doing?!" He snapped, clearly confused.

"No matter how much you say you hate me, you have no idea how it feels to actually know I'm not the last one left." I say after pulling away, wiping away a stray tear that cascaded down my cheek. His face softened as he stared at me. "I hope you'll lead the clan to greatness!" I call, running up and into the stands with my friends. Naruto immediately leaped forward and wrapped his arms and legs around my torso, rubbing his face against my own as I stumbled around.

"N-Naruto!" Sakura scolded.

"Get offa me!" I snap, slamming my fist against his cranium. "Jeez, I only won the match, not the lottery." Naruto started giggling while holding his head. Kakashi placed his hand atop my head and ruffled my hair before leaning down to me while the rest of the squad started talking amongst their selves.

"Iruka told me about the seal." Kakashi whispered. I looked up at him and frowned. "I guess, after the matches, we can take care of it." A smile soon slipped onto my lips as I whirled around and hugged him, thanking him wildly. "By the way," He grasps the shirt that I wore and tightened his fist. "I've already sent Pakkun to grab you a kimono to wear, so you can give this back to Shikamaru." I shook a little as I gazed up at Kakashi's sinister yet calm eyes.

"E-Eh?!" He smiled under his mask and ruffled my short hair. I felt a flush crawl up my cheeks as I stared down the upper area. Shikamaru leaned against the railing with his teammates and Asuma-Sensei. As if sensing my stare, he looked over and flushed, scratching the back of his head nervously. "You're so mean, Kakashi...." I mutter, pushing my lower lip out as I cross my arms over my chest.

Subtle coughing echoed through the lower area. Hayashi started to speak. "We will now show the next battle." He muttered. We all looked towards the screen, and I watched in anticipation as this names scrolled through wildly.

Sasuke Uchiha

Vs.

Yoroi Akado

"Hmph. I couldn't ask for anything more." I hear Yoroi mutter as Sasuke smirks, holding onto his shoulder blade with a cocky expression.

"Now, those who's names have been chosen, please come forward." Hayate calls in his soft tone. Sasuke and Yoroi stand across from each other in the middle of the arena. "You have been chosen for the second match. Yoroi Akado. And Sasuke Uchiha." Hayate holds his hands up, gesturing  to both guys. "Are there any objections?"

"None here," Sasuke states.

"No," Yoroi answers.

'You better win, Sasuke. I don't want to go into the final exam with just Naruto, you know.' I smile and lean against the railing. 'This'll be a treat to watch, Sasuke's moves have gotten a lot better.'

"Then if you're ready, let the match begin." Hayate states, getting out of the way as Yoroi gets into a fighting stance. I let out an even sigh, staring intently at the duo.

~*****~

Yoroi was quick to move in on Sasuke, sending him into the ground and gripping onto his head. I inhaled sharply as I stared at Sasuke's fading strength. "Is he-"

"My chakra!" Sasuke growled. "You're stealing in from me!"

I gripped onto the railing with tight fingers as he started growling in pain. "Don't give in." I muttered to myself, gritting my teeth. Sasuke lifted his leg up and kicked Yoroi off of him, and sat up on his haunch. Yoroi seemed to be teasing him, and raised his arm up again for another attack. Sasuke dodged each blow, but stumbled when it grazed his ear.

"What's the matter? Is that really the best you can do?" Yoroi hummed with a chuckle. Sasuke threw his leg out, trying to land a hit. He just jumped away.

I heard Naruto start growling, then yelling. "Hey! Sasuke! Come on, man! What was that?!" He screamed. "And yourself an Uchiha?! You're gonna let this goon walk all over you! C'mon! Stop messing around and get it in gear!" I smiled briefly as he stared over in our direction. His eye's widened a fraction before Yoroi decided to attack again.

"I'll teach you to turn your back on me!" Yoroi shouted. "Big mistake! And your last!" Sasuke dodged a series of hits from Yoroi, and at the last minute, he disappeared and reappeared underneath Yoroi, kicking him into the air. I smiled to myself. 'I knew you'd bum that offa me. But, only cause I bummed it offa Lee.'

That kick sent him into the air, and leaped up to appear behind him. 'Well, at least he can pull it off.' As we watched them sail through the air, that aggressive chakra I felt earlier arose, and I started to shiver. He aimed a kick at his side that Yoroi blocked, then completely swerved to the other side and slammed his fist onto his face, sending him downwards. He did it once again, then flipped forward, slamming his leg down into his chest, crashing Yoroi into the ground.  "Lion's Barrage!" Sasuke tumbled away and landed on his front. Hayate went to check on Yoroi.

"Well, this ones had it." He muttered softly just as Sasuke started getting up. "I'm declaring this match over. As the winner of this preliminary round, Sasuke Uchiha advances to the finals." Hayate declared.

 "Way to go!" Naruto screams. I smiled bashfully as Sasuke looks up at me, sending me a smirk. "You okay?!" Naruto calls after Kakashi appears behind Sasuke, stopping him from falling backwards. "Hey, Sasuke! You won, but in such an uncool way! You came out looking like you were the one who got beat up!"

Sasuke had a very angry face on for a moment before he smirked. I let out an even breath of air, pressing my palm against my chest in relief. "To think he managed to copy that technique." I mutter, jumping in shock as a rather large hand clasps onto my shoulder.

"I think he got the idea from you, since you copied it." Guy smirked. I elbowed him in the nose, sending him backwards in a fit of pain. I crossed my arms over my chest and growled. Kakashi led Sasuke away, most likely to seal that mark on his shoulder. I sighed out and leaned against the railing.

"Hey, Ren? I may just sound crazy, but did you notice any mark on Sasuke's neck?" Naruto asks. Sakura and I both tense up and looked towards each other.

I remember clear as day. Sasuke told the both of us to not tell Naruto about it. "You must be crazy, there's no mark." I state simply, crossing my arms behind my head.

"Gah?!" Naruto yelped out in anger, getting riled up as I giggled.

"Uh... Okay then. Let's move right on to the third match." Hayate called, calming Naruto down in an instant. We all looked at the board again, gazing up at the names being scrambled around.

Zaku Abumi

Vs.

Shino Aburame

I shivered at the mention of Shino's name, but I was kind of glad I wasn't the one facing him. Hayate coughed for a moment. "Okay, step forward, please." Both Zaku and Shino stepped forward. "Very good. Now, if you're both ready, then we'll begin." I rubbed my arm as I remembered Sasuke breaking Zaku's arms. Bile rose up in my throat again as I tried to shut it out and focus on the match at hand. "Candidates ready? Then you may begin."

The fight didn't last long, as I expected. Out of everyone here, I would immediately withdraw. Shino is one bad dude. Zaku's pride is ultimately what got him defeated. He let his guard down as Shino's bugs attacks. Another shiver wrapped up my back as I started to back up a bit. "Oh, jeez, those bugs never fail to freak me out!" I whine softly, grasping onto Sakura's arm. She giggled at my out of character behavior.

"Hey, Brat." I look over and smile at the small puppy sitting at my feet with one of my kimono's in his teeth.

"Thanks, Pakkun!" I coo, kneeling down to rub his belly.

"Hey! I'm not some puppy!" He snaps at me as I continue to love on him.

"Yeah, yeah." He eventually gives in as Hayate calls the match. I slip on my kimono and neatly fold Shikamaru's shirt as the board starts scrambling names again.

Tsurugi Misumi

Vs.

Kankuro

I watched as Kankuro was quick to wipe the floor with his oppnent, and just like that, the next battle was going to start. The board started shuffling through names, and once the two competetors had been chosen, I felt my stomach sink.

"Oh, no." I sigh, crossing my arms over my chest. 'Out of all the other genin, she had to face her....' I looked over at Sakura with a concerned gaze.